Apparatus for shearing



3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR April 30, 1935. IVERSEN APPARATUS FOR SHEARINGFiled Nov. 24, 1954 April 30, 1935. lvERsEN APPARTUS FOR SHEARING FiledNOV. 24, 1934 5 SheetS-Sheekl 2 INVENTOR lvM/nm um@ 9 .mmf

April 30, 1935. 1 lvr-:RsEN

APPARATUS FOR SHEARING Filed Nov. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORPatented Apr. 30, 1935' t APPARATUS FOR SHEARING Lorenz Iversen,Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Mesta e tion of Pennsyl Machin C mpany,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporavania Application November- 24, 1934, serialNo. 154,907

l2 Claims.

. This invention relates to apparatus for shearing and is particularlyuseful in connection with the shearingof metal strip. Metal strip,especially that which is of great width, is now produced at high speedin long lengths by rolling on hot mills of the continuous type, and,when delivered from the mill, must be expeditiously handled. Forpurposes of after-treatment, it is some times desirable to cut the stripinto short lengths and at other times simply to crop it (and perhapsdivide a length into two or even three pieces) and form the strip into acoil or coils. The leading end of the strip is always more or lessirregular and must be cropped oif. This cropping, as well as theshearing of the strip into lengths, or the parting thereof into two ormore long pieces adapted to be coiled, may conveniently be carried outby a shear of the rotary type. I have heretofore developed shears ofthis type which function very satisfactorily for such purposes. Suchshears are shown, for example, in my prior Patents Numbers 1,8'76,456and 1,890,221.

A problem which has become of increasing importance as, mills of highercapacity have been built is the disposition of the cropped end of thestrip. The strip leaves the delivery stand of the continuous mill whilestill at relatively high temperature and at a speed of 1400-2000 feetper minute, or more. The strip may be six feet or more in width and thecropped end is so large and unwieldy that it is diflicult if notimpossible in the wider widths to handle manually. This cropped end mustbe quickly taken out of the way of the oncoming strip so as to permit ofcoiling 35 or otherwise disposing of the strip without danger of itbeing fouled by the presence of the cropped end. The present inventionprovides a means whereby this result can be readily, safely andeconomically accomplished. The strip is 40 ordinarily rolled and handledwhile lying in a substantially horizontal plane, and I provide means forcropping the leading end of the oncoming strip and for diverting thecropped leading end out of the horizontal plane of the roll table orother support provided for the strip proper. This divertingmeans'preferably takes the form of a vertically movable section in theroll table or other support, which, in one position, will divert thecropped end of the metal -out of the general plane of the support, andin another position will permit passage of the metalA thereover. It isnecessary that the switching means be arranged to act with greatrapidity because the strip is moving at such high speed 55 that the timewhen the movement of the switching device takes place relative to themoment of shearing is of the utmost importance. Unless a proper controlis effected there is great danger of fouling the strip and cobbling it.The problem is rendered diflcult by the high speed at which 5 l theshearing mechanism necessarily acts. I therefore arrange for apreliminary setting of the switch member in one position, preferably inthe position to divert the croppedend of the strip, and I provideconstantly acting power means, as, -for example, a fluid actuatedcylinder, tending always to throw the switch to the other position. Atrip mechanism, operatively connected with the shear, causes the switchto act at the right moment, so that the switching is accomplishedsmoothly and without danger of fouling.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodimentof the invention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the shear, the tables, theswitching mechanism, and the control apparatus:

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing the shear andswitching mechanism in detail;

Figure 3 is a front view, partly broken away, of the apparatus shown inFigure 2; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure l, there is shown a feed mechanism, indicatedgenerally by the reference character 2, which may be the last stand ofa' continuous mill, or may be some other feed mechanism, for example, apair of pinch rolls. A strip fed from the rolls 2 passes over a rolltable 3 to a rotary shear 4. The shear is effective for cropping theleading'end of the strip and may also serve to part the strip into twoor more pieces for coiling, or to cut it into short lengths. Thematerial delivered from the shear is taken away by a roll table 5.

The shear, which may be of the type shown in one of my patents 4abovereferred to, comprises an upper shearing roll 6 and a lower shearlngroll 1 provided with cooperating cutting blades 8. The shear vis drivenby a motor 9 through reducing gearing I0, and the starting and stoppingof the motor 9 is preferably controlled by a flag-switch Il arranged inthe roll table 3. When the shear is used for cropping, it willordinarily be at rest with the blades 8 in such position that the stripcan pass freely therebetween. But when the leading end of the oncomingstrip passes over the iiag switch Il, `the motor 9 is started up, thecontrol mechanismbeing so arranged that .the shear blades have 55 beenbrought up to cutting and into shearing position at such a time as toinsure a satisfactory yet economical crop In order to dispose of thecropped leading end of the strip, there is provided a switch, which isbest shown in Figure 2 and is indicated generally by the referencecharacter I2. 'This switchY is pivoted at I3 and is adapted to be raisedand' lowered about Vsuch pivot. 'In Figure 2 it is shown in'its loweredposition. `The switch comprises a generally wedge-shaped body I4 made ofplates welded together to form a table over which the material may pass,this body having idle supporting rollers I5 therein.

Openings I6 are provided'in the bottom of the.

body to give access to the rollers I5, and the adjacent bottom wallportions I1 are turned inwardly and upwardly so as to avoid any dangerof fouling the leading end of a crop when it is discharged beneath thetable. Y As above indicated, the switch I2 is in raised position whenthe leading end of the strip comes between the shear rolls 6 and 1. Atthis time the pointed nose I8 ,of the switch is in the positionindicated'at I8-a, and `hence the leading end of the strip is directedbelow the table I4 and into a pit, not shown, from which the collectedcroppings can be removed. The switch I2 may beheld in raised position bya latch mechanism, hereinafter described, but is constantly urgeddownwardly, not only, by its own weight, but also by an air cylinderunder constant pressure. This construction insures that Athe moment theswitch is tripped it will move with extreme rapidity to its lowermostposition, so that when the freshly cut end of the oncoming strip reachesa point adjacent the end of the switch I2 the strip will lie above theswitch and will be projected over the table I4 as it issues from betweenthe shearrolls.

Near its pointed end the body I4 is provided with trunnions I9 (seeFigure 3) which are connected by links 20 toarms 2| on a shaft 22. Theshaft 22 is carried in bearing members 23 secured to the'housing 24 ofthe shear. The shaft 22 also carries arms 25 to which is pivoted thepiston rod 26 of a piston 21worki ng in a cylinder 28. The cylinder 28is trunnioned in the members 23 as shown at 29. A flexible connection 30(see Figure 2) supplies air under high and constant pressure in thelower end of the cylinder 28, so that the shaft 22 is biased in aclockwise direction, thus tending always to force the switch I2 to itslowered position.

The latching up of the switch I2 is accomplished by a latch lever 3l onthe shaft 22 cooperating with a latch 32 which is pivoted at 33. Aspring 34 urges the latch into engagement with the latch lever 3|, andthe unlatching is effected -by a rise 35 on a cam 35. The cam 36 ismounted on a shaft 31 and is adjustable thereon. The shaft'31 is driventhrough gearing 38 and 39 from the shaft ofthe shear roll 3, andtherefore moves in timed relation with the shear. The control for theshear motor is of such type that it always stops with the blades in `adetermined position, so that when the shear is started up it will alwayscut a crop of the right length. Since the cam 36 is adjustable on theshaft 31, the rise 35 of the cam may be set so as to trip the latch atthe exact moment desired in relation to the cutting action of the blades8, to insure that the switch I2 will be moved downwardly at the propermoment. When the cam rise 35 passes under the roller 43 on an arm of thelatch 32, the latch is tripped and the switch moves downwardly.

Resetting of the switch is effected by a settin motor 4I connectedthrough gearing 42 to a crank shaft 43. A link 44 extends upwardly fromthis shaft and has at its upper end an elongated opening 45 engaging apin 43 on a lever ,arm 41 secured to the shaft 22. The control'mechanism for the motor 4I is' so arranged that the crank shaft 43always stops with the crank arm 48 in its uppermost position. Whenthe-crank shaft 43 is rotated, the shaft 22 is forced lto rotatecounter-clockwise, thus resetting the latch. The crank shaft 43 makes acomplete rotation, the opening 48 permitting of upward movement of thelink 44 despite the fact that the pin 46 stays in the lower position.because of the latching up of the trip lever 3l.

In operation the switch I2 will first be in its uppermost position andthe shear will be at rest. 'I'hen when the flag switch II is actuated byan oncoming strip, the shear motor will start up and crop the leadingend. This leading end passes beneath the switch I2. Then at the propermoment the latch is tripped and the switch I2 is forcibly and quicklythrown to its lowered position so that the main body of the strip passesthereover tothe run-out table 5.

'I'he apparatus may be used for cropping the rear end of a strip anddiverting this crop from the run-out table. This is done by moving theswitch I2 at an appropriate time just before the trailing end is croppedoff. The setting and resetting of the switch I2 is accomplished by theoperation of the motor 4I and the crank 43. The control of the motor iseffected by electrical means, well known in the art, including a switchwhich limits the number of revolutions made by the motor, thus causing alimited and definite movement of the crank 43. In addition, adjustabletime relays are provided one for the leading end of the strip and onefor the trailing end.

These relays, which are well known per se, start Y the shear and re-setthe motor at the proper time for disposing of the front and rear cropends. Of course, if it is desired, the second time-relay may bedisregarded where front-end cropping only` is desired.

I have illustrated and described a present prey.ferred embodiment of myinvention, but it will delivery side of the shear, movable means fordiverting the cropped leading end of the metal out of the horizontalplane of said support. and means for moving the diverting means into orout of position to divert the cropped end.

2. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop the leadingend of an oncoming length of metal, anda support for the metal on thedelivery side of the shear, the support having a vertically movablesection arranged, when in one position, to divert the cropped end ofthemetal out of the general plane of the support, and when in anotherposition to permit passage of the metal over such support.

3. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop the leadingend of an oncoming length of metal strip, means for supporting, thestrip in a generally horizontal plan and a switch on the delivery sideof the shear, the switch being vertically movable and arranged, when inone position, to divert the cropped end of the strip out of said plane,and when in another position to permit passage of the metal therein.

4. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop the leadingend of an oncoming length of metal, a switch on the delivery side of theshear for diverting the cropped end of the metal from its normal course,and means actuated by the movement of the metal toward the shear foractuating the switch.

5. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop the leadingend of an oncoming length of metal, a switch for diverting the croppedleading end from the normal course taken by the metal, the switch lyingon the delivery side of the shear, drive means for the shear, means foractuating the drive means in accordance with the movement of metaltoward the shear, and means operatively connected with the shear foractuating the switch.

6. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop the leadingend of an oncoming.

length of metal, a switch lying on the delivery side of the shear andmovable to either of two positions, the switch being eiective in oneposition for guiding the metal into one path and in another position forguiding the metal into another path, means biasing the switch toward onesuch position, means for holding the switch in the' other position, andmeans for tripping the holding means.

7. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted tocrop the leadingend of an oncoming length of metal, a switch lying on the delivery sideof the shear and movable to either of two positions, the switch beingeffective in one position for guiding the metal into one path and inanother position for guiding the metal into another path, means biasingthe switch toward one such position, means for'holding the switch in theother position, and means operatively connected with the shear fortripping the hold-4 ing means. Y

8. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to4 crop theleading end of an oncoming length of metal, a switch lying on thedelivery side of the shear and movable to either of two positions, theswitch being effective in one position for guiding the metal into onepath and in another position for guiding the metal into another path,means biasing the switch toward one such position, means for holding theswitch in the other position, means for tripping the holding means, andmeans for resetting the switch in the holding position.

9. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop thelleading end of an oncoming length of metal, a switch on the deliveryside of the shear adapted to divert the cropped. leading end from thepath normally taken by metal passing through the shear, and power meansconstantly urging the switch into one position.

10. Apparatusfor shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop the leadingend of an oncoming length-of metal, a switch on the delivery side of theshear adapted to divert the cropped leading end from the path normallytaken by metal passing through the shear, power means constantly urgingthe switch into one position, a latch for holding the switch against theinfiuence of said power means, and means connected with the shear foroperating the latch.

11. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted to crop theleading end of an oncoming length ofv metal, a switch on the deliveryside of the shear adapted to divert the cropped leading end from thepath normally taken by metal passing through the shear, power meansconstantly urging the switchinto one position, a latch for holding theswitch against the iniluence of said power means, and means connectedwith the shear for operating the latch, said connection being adjustableso as to vary the time relation between the tripping of the latch and acut effected by the shear.

12. Apparatus for shearing comprising a shear adapted toY crop theleading end of an oncoming length of metal, a switch on the delivery

